


Because I care

by amaryllis (Lilly0)



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: Boys Being Boys, Boys In Love, Caring, Caring Sean Renard, Comfort, Cute, Falling In Love, Feelings, Feels, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Relationships, M/M, Nick Whump, Pre-Relationship, Sick Character, Sick Nick Burkhardt, Sickfic, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-30 18:00:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19408471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilly0/pseuds/amaryllis
Summary: Nick is sick, but won't rest. Sean intervenes.





	Because I care

“Just to set this straight,” Monroe raises his hand. “We have decided to be putting him in the mercy of the Captain… and we are alright with that?”

“He has the most authority,” Hank says, a slight shiver running down his spine. “He will be able to deal with Nick and force him to actually… rest.”

Rosalee raises her eyebrows. “And you think Nick will be okay with that?”

“Sure...” Monroe says without any real conviction.

“He will understand it.” Hank pauses. “One day. In the distant future. Maybe in a few years.”

“God,” Monroe closes his eyes. “This was the worst idea we’ve ever had. Can’t we undo it?”

“No,” Hank mutters. “Wu and I already told the Captain.”

~~~

What started as an uneventful day turned weird pretty fast. Not the kind of weird they deal in Portland daily, but weird enough for Sean to feel… a bit out of his loop.

It started with a ton of paperwork and a few calls, nothing unusual. Then he noted his… not his… Nick sneezing around like crazy with Hank next to him almost jumping to the roof the first time he heard it. Then Wu arrived with a report and Sean sent him to get him some stuff from the evidence room and on his way also fetch some meds against slight fever.

He tells Wu to give them to Nick.

“Is he alright?” Sean asked before he sent Wu off.

Wu just shrugged. “It’s Nick.”

Like that’s an adequate answer.

Well, somehow it is.

Sean decides it’s not his place to intervene. Hank and Wu probably have it under control, and maybe Nick just caught a cold. Later that day though when Hank and Nick appeared in his office to consult with him concerning a case, he notes that Nick’s eyes are glassy, his movements kind of shaky, gaze without focus. Hank keeps throwing worried gazes towards his partner.

Sean frowns but sends them off nevertheless.

Then Monroe calls him. Which has never happened before. “How’s Nick coping?” he asks.

Sean shakes his head. “Just how sick is he actually?”

Figures Monroe isn’t sure. Just that it’s bad. Worse than he has ever seen Nick, because Nick normally doesn’t get sick. What follows is a rather dramatic description of Nick’s current health. Once Sean hung up he sighs deeply. Of course, he thinks, leaving Monroe’s twenty minutes long monologue aside and taking the most important information out of it, it suddenly makes sense. Nick hardly gets sick. As a Grimm his body works differently, is stronger. So in case that he indeed catches the flu, it has to be quite a major thing.

He calls Hank and Wu.

“He is not listening to me,” Hank blurts out, apparently relieved that Sean finally asked him about Nick.

“Not listening to me either,” Wu agrees.

“He is so freaking stubborn, it’s unbelievable!”

“I don’t even know at this point if he hears what we are saying,” Wu muses. “I brought him tea, and he thought for a second I was Rosalee.” Wu pauses. “I’m not a woman, just so you know.”

“Have you tried-” Sean starts, just to get interrupted by both of them. Which again is very unusual, and it shows just how worried they are.

“-Call Rosalee and Monroe?” Hank nods. “Did that twice today. Actually we went to see them after we met the mother of the victim.”

“It was all in vain,” Wu mumbles.

“We also went to the pharmacy and tried to drag Nick to the doctor.”

“I’m not sure if you ever tried to drag a Grimm anywhere,” Wu points out. “But I would rather take it up with a golem.”

“He is so stubborn.”

“We need someone to out-stubborn him.” They both exchange a glance before they stare at him. Sean isn’t so sure if he should feel flattered now that they entrust Nick’s safety to him, or if he should be annoyed because they apparently see him as stubborn as Nick. But then, it’s probably been difficult for them to even ask him for help.

“Fine,” Sean hears himself say all of a sudden. “You two go home. I’ll make sure Nick gets some rest.”

“You are...” Hank blinks. “What?”

“I’m stronger than the usual Wesen or Human and I have more authority over him. Also this talk here isn’t taking us anywhere, and I have already spent way too much time with people voicing their worry about Nick to me. It’s getting tedious.” Sean explains calmly, hoping he will be able to keep his dignity by pretending he only cares because it’s getting bothersome. He raises his eyebrows. “And, I am definitely able to out-stubborn him, as you called it.”

Wu and Hank blush slightly before they exchange a glance, again, and for a second Sean thinks they are going to have a change at heart and talk him out of it. He isn’t so sure why he even offered it in the first place, but something about seeing Nick’s slumped over figure and his stubborn gaze touches his heart.

He is acting weird, maybe. Can’t deny it.

But to his surprise both of Nick’s friends nod eagerly. “Thank God,” Hank sighs.

“Call us when you need something, Captain,” Wu adds. “We’ll tell Monroe and Rosalee to be ready too in case you call.”

With that it’s set.

~~~

Sean waits for everyone to leave until it’s just him and Nick. He puts his folders away, grabs his jacket and approaches his annoyingly stubborn detective.

“You are going home now!” Sean commands, voice not leaving any doubt about how serious he is. He is standing in front of Nick, arms crossed in front of his body, upper body straight. Makes him look taller and more intimidating, he knows that.

“I...” Nick mutters, taking his pen and scribbling down on a sheet. He doesn’t even seem to notice how he accidentally starts writing on the desk instead. “Need to finish the report. Captain needs it.”

“I am your Captain, and I don’t need that report now. Hank can do it too,” Sean urges.

“But-”

“Nickolas Burkhardt! You are going home and into your bed now. End of discussion!”

“But Mom!”

Sean halts for a split second, wondering if Nick is making fun of him now, and if he is supposed to get angry at him for it. His gaze shifts to look directly into Nick’s eyes for a moment. They are clouded and weirdly red. Sean considers his options for a moment, then he decides to play along. He takes Nick’s wrist, noting with worry how warm he actually feels and pulls him up. “Come… Nicky.” Dang, he hopes this really is his nickname.

Nick just nods and allows himself to be pulled along. Sean can feel how he wavers and staggers though. There is no way Nick can drive, there is also no way Sean can let a taxi take him home. Fine, he sighs, he will just take him home and make sure that he is settled there.

Helping Nick in his car is easier than he thought it would be. Probably because his Detective feels so tired right now, he doesn’t even realize where he is. “Nick,” Sean asks once he starts the car. “What’s your current address.”

“Dunno,” Nick mutters sleepily.

“Nick?” Sean sighs. “A street name? Area?”

Nick’s head drops to the side. “There are trees.”

Awesome. Again Sean considers his options, he could call Hank or Wu and ask them for Nick’s new address. But then he doesn’t know if Nick has his keys to his apartment, and he most likely won’t be able to tell Sean where his medicine and emergency kit is.

Sean nods to himself. They are better off driving to Sean’s place.

~~~

Sean considers himself a fairly strong man, but dragging a sick person from a car over a staircase into a house is way more tedious and difficult than he thought it would be. Especially when said person is a Grimm.

He drops Nick on the sofa, tugging his shoes off and sighing in relief once Nick’s head rests against a pillow. “I’ll make you tea now,” he tells him. “And see what else I have home.”

Nick hums something.

“What did you say?” Sean asks carefully.

Nick’s eyelids flutter open. “Aunt Marie,” he smiles brightly. “I want cacao.”

Sean’s initial confusion wears off fast, instead he begins to feel worried now. “I’m not your aunt, Nick. I’m your Captain.”

“Captain?” Nick mutters.

“Yes.” Sean lowers himself a bit to be on eye level with Nick. He puts a hand on Nick’s cheek “Look at me.”

Nick doesn’t response. “Nicholas,” Sean dabs his cheek slightly, his worry increasing. “Come on, look at me!”

Nick shifts his head, finally, glassy eyes looking at Sean. “Captain...” he mutters. Sean feels relieved, just to have his relief crush a second later. “Twins?” Nick asks in awe. He giggles. “There are two of you!” He waves with his hand, almost smacking Sean in the process. “You never said anything. Two Seans...”

“Nick!”

“Hey, what’s your twin brother doing,” Nick pouts. “Tell him to stop walking around so fast!”

That's it. Sean stands up abruptly, tugging the blanket around Nick’s shivering body and grabbing his private phone. He has only one number on speed dial. It takes a few seconds until someone answers. “Mother?”

“ _Ah, Sean!”_ she seems to sound pleased. “ _I’ve not expected your call.”_

“It wasn’t necessarily planned,” Sean admits honestly.

“ _Well, that certainly sounds interesting. What happened?”_

“Nick, the Grimm, you remember? He is sick and he-”

“ _Ah, your Grimm.”_ His mother sounds slightly amused.

“He is not my Grimm, Mother.” Sean sighs. “But he is sick and with me at the moment.”

“ _He is sick and you brought him home with you?_ ” She asks in surprise. There is more in her voice than that though. She sounds curious, surprised, and mildly… happy.

Sean decides to better ignore her weird tone for a moment and instead focus on the more urgent issues. “Well, as the Captain it’s my duty to look after my subordinates.”

“ _Oh, I bet you do care for them. For some more than others.”_ He doesn’t even need to see her face to see that she is smirking. _“And of course you were the only suitable person to look after him, am I right?”_

Sean sighs almost inaudibly so.

“ _Are you sighing at me?”_ She asks, amused. 

“Mother...”

“ _Fine, fine, he is sick, and you are the only person who can help him. I understand. So where’s the problem?”_

“If you hadn’t spent minutes with teasing me, I would have already told you,” he answers, trying to go for a calm tone, but he can’t help the slight irritation in his voice.

“ _Allow your mother these short-lived moments of joy. I’m not seeing you often enough after all,”_ She takes a breath. _“Okay, tell me what’s wrong.”_

“I think he has a very high fever, and he is hallucinating.”

“ _That’s not unusual when you are sick,”_ she muses. _“_ _You are unusually sensitive towards him._ _And more worried than for others_ _.”_

“Mother, I’ve had it with your teasing!”

“ _Sean,”_ her voice sounds serious now. _“I’m not teasing you anymore. You are more sensitive towards him. And I just want you to know.”_ She pauses. “ _That it’s okay. None of us owes the royal family anything. You can live your life however you want, with whoever you want.”_

Sean wants to say something, wants to tell her she is wrong, that she has lost her mind, that he doesn’t care for Nick more than for anyone else.

But he doesn’t. Stays quiet instead.

His mother doesn't comment on it either, instead: _“Hallucinating, you said?”_

“Yes, he looked at me and mistook me for his mother first, then for his aunt and later on saw me and my twin brother.” Sean pauses. “And as far as I’m concerned I don’t have a secret twin, do I?”

“ _No, one of you is enough work,”_ his mother chuckles. _“It’s the fever, Sean. You don’t need to worry too much.”_

“So I have to worry a little?” Sean concludes.

“ _Yes, the fever is probably pretty high. Nick is a Grimm, so he hardly gets sick, but when he does his body deals differently with it than_ _it would be_ _with_ _usual people_ _.”_

“What am I supposed to do?” Sean wants to know. “Normal medicine won’t work?”

“ _Do you have a pen around,”_ his mother seems to shuffle around a bit. _“I’ll tell you a few herbs to get and a recipe. Nothing dangerous, no real magic. It will bring the fever down a bit, so that he can rest properly.”_

Half an hour later Rosalee has already brought him the ingredients from his mother’s list from her spice shop. “Do you need any help?” she asks in worry.

“I don’t think so,” Sean takes everything with a thankful nod. “His fever is pretty high. I don’t want you to get sick too.”

“What about you?” she asks, her voice sounding clearly concerned.

“My mother told me what to take to raise my immune system.” His lips tug slightly. “Don’t forget I’m a Zauberbiest.”

“Fine, but call us when you need something.”

~~~

Nick has slept for two hours straight. His sleep was restless first, almost like he was in pain, but got a bit calmer at the end. He wakes up when Sean brings him a fresh cup with tea. “Captain,” he mutters.

Sean looks at Nick in surprise. “You are awake,” he says in relief. “And you know who I am.” He frowns a bit, kneeling down next to the sofa to check on Nick’s eyes and face properly.”

“You...” Nick tilts his head, eyes weirdly puffy. “You always frown.”

Sean stops his movement for a moment. “Excuse me?”

“You are excused,” Nick sighs dreamily, making Sean wonder where the heck his mind just went off to. Then he suddenly reaches out his finger, poking Sean’s forehead first before rubbing at it fiercely. “Stop frowning… wrinkles...” he giggles. “You look cute when you are upset.”

“Cute?” Sean asks in disbelief. “I don’t know who you think I am this time, but-”

“You are Captain Sean Renard,” Nick slurs slightly when he talks. “You are tall. And stern. And cute.”

Sean blinks, at a loss of words. “Cute?” he repeats once more.

“Yep,” Nick giggles, arms flailing slightly when he tries to grab his cup with tea. “Cute. But frowning. Makes you look grim.” He pauses. “Hehe, grim! Like Grimm!” Then he bursts into laughter.

For a few seconds Sean is scared Nick has lost his mind, but then he drifts back to sleep again. He sighs deeply, reaching out his hand to brush away a strand of hair sticking to Nick’s forehead. “Nothing but trouble with you,” he mutters. He can’t quite help the fond tone in his voice.

The next time Nick wakes up his body is shaking. “Sean,” he breaths out.

No _Captain_. Nothing. Just first name. He is too out of it to notice, Sean thinks. He is by Nick’s side immediately. “Nick,” he mutters. “You are shaking. Wait, I’ll give you an additional blanket. And make you another cup of hot tea.”

It doesn’t take him more than five minutes to proceed with his task, but when he is back, Nick is shaking so violently, Sean is almost afraid he has an attack. He throws two other blankets over his body, grabs Nick’s hands and rubs them to warm them up. Then he forces him to sit up a bit to drink some of the hot liquid.

“I’m so cold,” Nick manages to breath out, teeth chattering.

Sean takes only a second to consider his options. He gently pushes Nick down again and covers him in his three blankets, before he forces his Zauberbiest out. With a swift movement he has grabbed Nick and his blankets and picked him up. He carries him to his bed, it’s bigger and more comfortable. Once there he carefully puts the blankets away, and instead covers him with his own thick blanket. Then he gets rid of his own shirt and slips under blanket as well. He pulls Nick’s body into a hug. “Come. You will feel warmer soon.”

~~~

Nick wakes up to a… dizzy head, and an even dizzier memory. He feels tired, not the usual tiredness caused by overwork, he rather feels tired to the bone. Every nerve of his body seems to be exhausted.

He forces his eyes open, confused by the place he is sleeping at. That’s not his bed, he thinks. He tries to move a bit, his eyes widening in surprise when he realizes something is blocking him from moving too much. There is an arm around his body, and his face is actually resting against…

“You are finally awake, it seems?”

Nick freezes in absolute horror. “Captain!” he mutters, noting that Sean is not wearing a shirt, and how his hands rub his arms. His green eyes are clouded with worry.

“So, you know who I am?”

“Yes,” Nick answers carefully, his mind still trying to grasp what happened. He doesn’t even know what he did last night, how the fuck he ended up in the Captain’s bed!

“Good, because last night you mistook me for a whole lot of other persons. Even your mother and my non-existent twin brother.”

Nick takes a deep breath. He just has to ask. “Did I end up drunk and called you? I’m so sorry, Captain!”

Sean looks at him for a moment before he bursts into laughter. Nick’s confusion gets momentarily swept away by this whole-hearted laugh. The way there are crinkles around Sean’s eyes and little laugh lines around his lips makes him watch in awe. He has never seen him laugh, he realizes. Smile maybe. But not laugh. “You weren’t drunk, but really sick.”

“Really?” Nick asks, slowly realizing that he is covered by a few blankets. He also feels a bit gross and sweaty. Makes it even more embarrassing to wake up in the Captain’s arms.

“Yes, you had a very high fever and you were hallucinating. I even called my mother to get some advice from her. Seems like it worked.”

“And this here?” Nick asks carefully, nodding towards the bed.

“You were shaking so much yesterday and said you felt cold. Nothing helped, so I went for the last remaining option.” Sean peels himself out of the blanket, his muscles stretching slightly. To his own shame Nick has to admit that he is blushing a bit.

“I’m so sorry, Captain,” he mutters miserably.

“No _Sean_ now?” his Captain raises his eyebrows. “Yesterday night we were on first name basis.”

“Really?” Nick asks in surprise.

“Yeah, you would think it goes without saying when you share your bed with someone else.”

For a moment Nick is speechless. They didn’t, did they? Then he notes the almost invisible glint of mischief in Sean’s eyes, and sighs. “You almost got me here. I’m sorry… Sean… for crushing on you. I will leave immediately.”

“Oh no,” Sean frowns, eyebrows furrowed while he looks at Nick sternly. “You won’t move an inch. You will stay here and rest. The only thing you are allowed to do is going to the bathroom. But if I see you doing anything else you will be in major troubles with me.” he crosses his arms in front of his chest. “Am I clear?”

God, he is hot, Nick thinks. “Yes.”

“Good.” Sean nods contently. “What do you want for breakfast?”

~~~

Monroe can smell him even before he has entered the spice shop. He throws Hank a warning glance… trying to prepare him from what’s inevitably to come. Nick spent a few days at home sick, and apparently the Captain made sure he rested well enough.

However he managed to do that.

“Hello Nick,” Rosalee smiles at him from one of her shelves. “Are you feeling better again?”

“All fit again,” Nick tells her. “Even more than that actually!” Monroe frowns, trying to take in his expression. Does he look angry? Well, maybe he is only angry at him and Hank, not at Rosalee. It’s not been her fault that they basically made Renard take the job to keep him at home.

“Nick,” Hank begins after a while.

When Nick turns to look at them, Monroe takes a deep breath. “Okay, listen Nick,” He steps in front of Rosalee and Hank. “First, Rosalee had nothing to do with it. Second… you know… Hank and I thought… we thought...”

“You were really really sick...” Hank throws in.

“Right… really sick!” Monroe adds.

“Skin, white as a sheet!”

“And your eyes. Completely unfocused.”

“We thought we would need to get you to the hospital.” Monroe pauses. “And then we kept pondering… who is strong enough and knowledged enough to care for you. Not that Rosalee wouldn’t be knowledged enough.”

“But what if you got attacked while sick,” Hank insists.

“So that’s why we decided...”

“The Captain.”

Hank and Monroe exchange a look, letting out a deep breath, unsuccessfully trying not to notice Rosalee’s look of plain amusement.

To their surprise though Nick doesn’t say anything.

“Don’t be mad, buddy,” Monroe begs. “Please.”

“Nick?” Hank adds hopefully.

Nick turns to look at them for a moment. “Did you say something?” he asks. He doesn’t seem to be irritated or anything else. He looks kind of happy.

“Eh… we apologized?” Monroe tries to remind him.

“What for?”

Hank looks at Nick skeptically. “For the Captain.”

“Oh that,” Nick laughs from the bottom of his heart, making both Hank and Monroe take a step back again. What the heck. “That’s okay.”

“Really?” Hank asks in disbelief.

The way Nick smiles rather increases Monroe’s worry. He looks almost… blissful. “Really,” Nick smiles brightly, before he turns to Rosalee. “Say...”

“Yes, dear?” Rosalee asks in fond amusement, while she skilfully ignores Monroe’s and Hank’s glances of soft bewilderment.

“What do you think would be a good present for a Zauberbiest?”

**Author's Note:**

> I think I worked on this fic forever!! It's one of the first Grimm fics, I started writing, and I only finished it today!  
> I hope you liked it! I think Nick has to be one of the most difficult sick people ever. Though... wouldn't Sean be even worse?  
> Now that I think of it, wouldn't a sickfic with Sean being the one sick, and Nick caring for him be interesting? :D 
> 
> What do you think?
> 
> Your comments and feedback are always appreciated and loved ♥
> 
> (To everyone waiting for an update on Tight Bonds: It's coming, I swear. I hope I will be able to update next week! )


End file.
